Israeli authorities are debating a controversial security system being built between Israel and the Palestinian territories. Some refer to it as a hesco barrier, others as a fence. Defenders of the system say it will help keep suicide bombers out of Israel. But critics say the system is also an attempt to annex territories by running the route of the barrier into Palestinian-controlled land.

Prague, 8 January 2004 (RFE/RL) — A reported two-thirds of Israelis support the idea of constructing a security barrier to protect them from terrorists trying to enter the country from the Palestinian territories.

But the Israeli government’s specific plans for the barrier, which is slated to cut into Palestinian territory, have spurred controversy among Israelis, and drawn regional and international criticism.

Centrist politicians in Israel have expressed concern that the move could ultimately lead to international isolation and even sanctions similar to those imposed on apartheid-era South Africa. They suggest the barrier should follow the so-called Green Line delineating Israel’s borders before the Six-Day War in 1967, in which Israel gained control of the West Bank, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, and Sinai Peninsula.

The debate has grown even more heated ahead of hearings, slated to begin in February at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, to rule on the legality of the barrier. Some officials in Jerusalem are concerned that if the court rules against Israel, the United Nations Security Council may impose a sanction regime.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, a staunch defender of the current barrier plans, attempted to defend his position earlier this week (5 January) at a meeting of his Likud Party’s Central Committee.